UmneyDurak

I was doing hill repeats today on Kings. On a third one as I was coming down near the bottom making a right hand turn, right after that S turn, my front wheel hit something. That was "fun". It went up in to the air, handle bars turned right. It landed at an angle while the bike was still at a bit of an angle. Somehow managed to straighten the bars and complete a turn without going over double yellow line.

Then on fifth interval it did again, not as bad. I took outside line that time, since I didn't see anything closer to yellow line as I was going up. I still have no idea what a hell I hit two times. There were some debris, but nothing big enough to cause it. I wasn't even going that fast, around 22-25.

I have such a great luck when it comes to descending in winter. At least no trip to Stanford ER this time around.

taxi777

I've had way too many high speed blow outs, mostly front tire that, I can't ever descend like I used to. I'm inhibited about it now. I've just been lucky like you were. No crash but, plenty of soiled underwear.

B. Carfree

I used to never worry about crashing on a descent. The innocence of the pre-internet age was blissful. A few videos like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLRDRzMWIsg have really toned down my descent speed.

twobadfish

If you hit 88mph you can go to the destination year your shifters are set to. It's a complex formula involving cog teeth and age of rider.

UmneyDurak

Meh. Never really sets in, at least for me, until it happens to you personally.

You win award for the most obscure movie reference in BF thread.

toytech

I can relate to slowing decent speeds due to accidents or near.. I have been descending on my MTB at chicken____ speeds since my OTB and AC separation. Stupid crashing.

DCTILLER

sounds like tar snakes. but i dont remember any on kings. glad your ok!

x136 

Almost pooped yourself?

Quitter.

RunningPirate

I didn't even know there was a contest for that. 138mph? Ye gods!

Mind you, I do have a decent grip on my mortality, thus - much like the Grateful Dead advised Casey Jones - I watch my speed. Some friends that I ride motorcycles with pointed out that when we're doing 35 or 40 on a motorcycle, we're wearing full face helmet, riding jacket and pants that are made of some sort of tactical material or leather. Yet, when we're doing that same speed on a bike, we're wearing kit and some styrofoam strapped to our heads. We try and not think about going down.

twobadfish

I didn't have a fear button... until my son was born. Now I'm afraid to fall down stairs. WTF is this?!

UmneyDurak

Definitely not tar snakes. They make for some fun wheel wiggling, but I never seen or heard them launch a wheel in to the air.

Some things I am ok with not finishing. Soiling lycra is one of them.

You know exact same thought crossed my my on multiple occasions when I take my motorcycles in to the mountains, or descent the same hill on my roadbike. Cyclists are either crazy or lack any common sense.

bigbenaugust 

Where we're going, we don't need bikes! But don't you need to dial it up to 1.21 gigawatts?

+1.

B. Carfree

Hear hear on that. I had the same thing happen and I always wondered if it was:
1. Age, as in I finally grew up a wee bit
2. Age, as in I recognized that my eyesight, reflexes, balance and strength weren't what they were in my 20s
3. Age, as in I finally realized just how much pain could be found if something went wrong.

I think I'm leaning towards an answer that involves getting older.